Men are really simple creatures. We're not that hard to figure out. In fact, the most common trait of all men is that we love to rank things. We men have taken this compulsion and turned it into art.
You see, not only do we rank things, we get esteem from where we rank on lists, and we also get esteem from affiliating with things that are highly ranked on lists. This may explain the current state of depression among so many Patriot's fans. Almost the best ever... how hard it must be to almost be on top of the list.
The problem is that ranking and sorting is found in more things than football, or 70's rock bands. Ranking is also prevalent in faith. Much of our perceived esteem and value come from our spiritual rank among our brethren rather than from our savior.
Jesus understood this very well. He tried over and over to let us know that the Kingdom is not about who sits on His left or His right. It is not about who is greatest or least. It is not about rank. You don't get rank by being a priest, pastor, rabbi, or pope. There is no rank. The greatest is the least and the least is the greatest. There is Jesus and there is no second.
I am reminded of something I heard the dog whisperer say. Once when he was gently rebuking a lady for letting her dog control her, the lady asked, "So, who is the number one dog at your house."
He replied, "I am."
"So," the woman continued, "which dog is number two?"
"All of them."
Jesus says that when you do alms for the least it as for Him. Jesus gives up his rank willingly to bestow blessing on those around him. Jesus gives up rank to set people free.
I recently heard a man talk about how he left the Christian faith because it could not adequately explain suffering. He was very smart and had some very important sounding words that seemed plausible, but somehow it seemed like he was saying that since there was suffering then there could not be a "good" God. If the game won't play by my rules, I'll go home.
I started thinking about it. If there were no suffering. If all were happy and content and fed and sheltered, I would not have an opportunity to participate in the Kingdom by giving up rank. Sadly, we are more inclined to boast about our spiritual rank with those who question the magnificent sovereignty of our God. We deride them and persecute them, thinking that surely God is pleased with our defense of His nature when in fact our defense merely shows our doubt in our own beliefs.
In a book I am reading, Life of Pi, the author questions the faithful for running faster to defend our God than we run to serve the oppressed. I think he is on to something.
You see, not only do we rank things, we get esteem from where we rank on lists, and we also get esteem from affiliating with things that are highly ranked on lists. This may explain the current state of depression among so many Patriot's fans. Almost the best ever... how hard it must be to almost be on top of the list.
The problem is that ranking and sorting is found in more things than football, or 70's rock bands. Ranking is also prevalent in faith. Much of our perceived esteem and value come from our spiritual rank among our brethren rather than from our savior.
Jesus understood this very well. He tried over and over to let us know that the Kingdom is not about who sits on His left or His right. It is not about who is greatest or least. It is not about rank. You don't get rank by being a priest, pastor, rabbi, or pope. There is no rank. The greatest is the least and the least is the greatest. There is Jesus and there is no second.
I am reminded of something I heard the dog whisperer say. Once when he was gently rebuking a lady for letting her dog control her, the lady asked, "So, who is the number one dog at your house."
He replied, "I am."
"So," the woman continued, "which dog is number two?"
"All of them."
Jesus says that when you do alms for the least it as for Him. Jesus gives up his rank willingly to bestow blessing on those around him. Jesus gives up rank to set people free.
I recently heard a man talk about how he left the Christian faith because it could not adequately explain suffering. He was very smart and had some very important sounding words that seemed plausible, but somehow it seemed like he was saying that since there was suffering then there could not be a "good" God. If the game won't play by my rules, I'll go home.
I started thinking about it. If there were no suffering. If all were happy and content and fed and sheltered, I would not have an opportunity to participate in the Kingdom by giving up rank. Sadly, we are more inclined to boast about our spiritual rank with those who question the magnificent sovereignty of our God. We deride them and persecute them, thinking that surely God is pleased with our defense of His nature when in fact our defense merely shows our doubt in our own beliefs.
In a book I am reading, Life of Pi, the author questions the faithful for running faster to defend our God than we run to serve the oppressed. I think he is on to something.
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